Farage's bluff called as he awaits Binface by-election farce... or is it a masterstroke of narrative control?

Nigel Farage has resigned his Clacton seat and forced a by-election — but with no serious party willing to stand against him, the stunt appears to have spectacularly misfired. Mail on Sunday's Dan Hodges says Farage knows he's "bang to rights" with the Parliamentary Standards Commission and engineered this as an escape route. Reform MP Sarah Pochin defends her leader, but even she struggles to explain why a clean politician wouldn't simply wait for the investigation's outcome. Benedict Spence adds that the timing — conveniently drowning out Andy Burnham's Labour leadership coronation — is no coincidence.Julia Hartley-Brewer broadcasts on Talk from Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 1PM. Available on YouTube and streaming platforms, along with DAB+ radio and your smart speaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.